Coconut orchid with wrinkled pods

[Paxson]

Hi, I am new to this site and to any blog.
I have had a coconut orchid for about year and when i purchased it all of the pods were sleek and smooth and now many of them are rather dull looking and wrinkled. Also, it has not bloomed yet. It is putting out new growth.
Thank you for you help!

[tarev]

Maxillaria tenuifolia is just like that..gets wrinkly pbs. Usually it is the humidity needs. Our area here is drier, so just the way it is. You can try putting a humidity tray below, it might help. How often do you water it? It likes being moderately moist.

With my plant, it gets wrinkly, but it is a tough plant. How much light is your plant getting. It likes bright light a lot! Much more than Phal light.

New blooms form in between the brown sheaths, and the pbs climb up, you will just be surprised to see something there. If its putting out new growth, then just be patient, the flowers will more or less be coming soon..just watch the brown sheaths from time to time.

[Paxson]

Thank you for the information. It is pretty dry here so I will try the tray. I water it about once a week and feed it about once a month. I have it planted in an orchid pot with holes on the side and in the medium that looks like tan bark with just a tiny bit of soil.

[Optimist]

Do you have a hydrometer? Something that tells you what the relative humidity is? Just let me plant this bug in your ear...a terrarium set up may be better than trying to change all your living conditions.

[tarev]

Paxson, did you say tiny bit of soil?? Soil not recommended.

[Leafmite]

I grow my max-ten in red lava rock/basket pot and then just sit it in a bowl with water on the bottom. It seems happy that way.

[Brooke]

Mine is mounted and I put the mount in a tray of water in Catt light. The wrinkled pbulbs are probably from lack of water.

I honestly don't think you can over water this species.

Brooke

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Maxillaria tenuifolia does not grow in the ground, it grows as an epiphyte on trees.

It is not recommended to put any kind of potting soil in the mix.

These are very difficult to overwater. They love water. They need a lot of water during the spring/summer months. I water mine everyday during this time of year. Sometimes when it is super warm, I will sometimes water twice a day. Spring/summer is also when they start to put on a massive amount of growth.

They get slightly less water during the fall/winter months when growth slows down. I water about once every 2 - 3 days.

These need to be grown in bright indirect light.

They are fairly temperature tolerant, being able to handle temperatures down to 45 F and as high as 110 F.

The wrinkles are on what are called pseudobulbs (translates into: "false bulb").

* Wrinkled pods implies the seed pods are wrinkled, which is not what you're describing. *

[Paul Mc]

King, do you grow yours mounted or in pots, and if in pots do you use porous clay or plastic? What about the medium? I've noticed some slight wrinkling in mine this year, but don't water nearly as frequent as you do as the medium is old. I'm getting ready to repot, but curious how yours are done.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

It's in a 2" tall clear plastic pot with full moss loosely stuffed.

Too difficult for me to grow most Maxillarias mounted here in SoCal. It's too dry here